John D and Catherine T Macarthur
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Chicago, Illinois, with additional locations in India and Nigeria. Incorporated in 1970 and granted charitable status in February 1971, the foundation was founded by John D. MacArthur, a midwestern businessman and real estate magnate who built his fortune primarily through ownership and development of Bankers Life and Casualty Co. of Chicago. The foundation operates as an independent 501(c)(3) organization and is classified as a private grantmaking foundation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.3B
+7.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$356.1M
+11.0% YoY
Grant Count
1,086
-25.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$328K
+49.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John D and Catherine T Macarthur reported a distributable amount of $428.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation is committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. It supports creative people and effective institutions working toward transformative change on pressing social issues.
Primary focus areas include:
- Climate change and environmental conservation
- Criminal justice reform
- Revitalizing local news in the United States
- Artificial intelligence governance and expanding who creates, uses, and benefits from AI
- Strengthening the well-being of Native communities
- Empowering young people in Nigeria
- Journalism and its role in a responsible and responsive democracy
- Strengthening the vitality of Chicago
- Human rights and global security
- Making cities better places
- Understanding technology's impact on children and society
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants across multiple program areas:
Grant Range
$75,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with John D and Catherine T Macarthur?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds primarily in Illinois, New York, and the District of Columbia, with international work in India and Nigeria.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $9,311,570,852
- Total Revenue: $890,851,721
- Total Expenses: $414,659,854
- Total Liabilities: $661,000,000
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $8,672,283,398 (ledger value)
- Total Income: $5,198,007,273
The foundation is ranked 92nd among U.S. foundations by assets.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,311,570,852 | $8,672,283,398 | $8,229,029,493 |
| Revenue | $890,851,721 | $613,786,298 | $-1,307,634 |
| Expenses | $414,659,854 | $415,250,452 | $260,263,897 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $468,169,033 | $417,507,266 | $390,078,271 |
| Net Investment Income | $791,986,861 | $591,188,118 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $428,654,370 | $418,691,836 | $449,318,207 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from John D and Catherine T Macarthur
Chicago Commitment: Advancing Leadership Grant
JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Chicago Commitment: Civic Partnerships Grant
JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Chicago Commitment: Culture, Equity, and the Arts Grant
JOHN D AND CATHERINE T MACARTHUR
Amount
US $55,000 - US $80,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Acento Accion Local Asociacion Civil ($2,000,000), Afef Inc ($1,000,000), All Voting Is Local ($1,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 100REPORTERS WASHINGTON, DC | IN SUPPORT OF THE DOUBLE EXPOSURE INVESTIGATIVE FILM FESTIVAL AND SYMPOSIUM | $75,000 |
| 3ARTS INC CHICAGO, IL | IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS | $80,000 |
| A CULTURE OF SAFETY ALLIANCE INC NEW YORK, NY | IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS | $100,000 |
| A PARK WILLIAMS CHICAGO, IL | MACARTHUR FOUNDATION FELLOW AWARD - HYDROCLIMATOLOGIST | $160,000 |
| ABOVE AND BEYOND FAMILY RECOVERY CENTER CHICAGO, IL | IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS | $50,000 |
| ACADIA CENTER ROCKPORT, ME | TO FACILITATE SUBNATIONAL CLIMATE AND POWER GRID COORDINATION | $925,000 |
| ACCELERATEKY INC BOWLING GREEN, KY | IN SUPPORT OF A RESEARCH PROJECT TO DOCUMENT THE APPLICATION OF CIVIC IMAGINATION AND WORLD BUILDING METHODOLOGIES IN FOSTERING SOCIAL CHANGE IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS KENTUCKY | $50,000 |
| ACCESS LIVING OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO CHICAGO, IL | TO RAISE AWARENESS AND ADDRESS THE OVERINCARCERATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS PART OF THE SAFETY AND JUSTICE CHALLENGE | $175,000 |
| ACCION LATINA SAN FRANCISCO, CA | IN SUPPORT OF EL TECOLOTE | $175,000 |
| ACCOUNTABILITY LAB NIGERIA NETWORK | TO IMPLEMENT A SERIES OF BEHAVIOR AND NORM-CHANGE PROGRAMS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS | $285,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board leadership includes:
- Martha Minow (Director / Board Chair)
- Stephanie K. Bell-Rose (Director)
- Lillian Constance Jen (Director)
- Julie T. Katzman (Director)
- Paul Klingenstein (Director)
- James Manyika (Director)
- Sendhil Mullainathan (Director)
- Cecilia Munoz (Director)
- Olufunmilayo Olopade (Director)
- Juan Salgado (Director)
The foundation employs 201 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN G PALFREY | DIRECTOR / PRESIDENT | 50 | $1,113,955 |
| KENNETH M JONES II | SENIOR VP / CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 50 | $697,637 |
| JOSHUA J MINTZ | VP / GENERAL COUNSEL / SECRETARY | 50 | $715,572 |
| SUSAN E MANSKE | VP / CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER | 50 | $2,512,127 |
| MARTHA L MINOW | BOARD CHAIR | 7 | $44,875 |
| STEPHANIE K BELL-ROSE | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $26,000 |
| AMY FALLS AS OF 0624 | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $14,000 |
| LILLIAN CONSTANCE JEN | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $27,000 |
| JULIE T KATZMAN THRU 0624 | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $14,000 |
| PAUL KLINGENSTEIN | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $27,500 |
| WILLIAM F LEE AS OF 0624 | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $14,000 |
| JAMES MANYIKA THRU 0324 | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $10,000 |
| SENDHIL MULLAINATHAN | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $26,500 |
| CECILIA MUNOZ | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $27,000 |
| ALONDRA NELSON AS OF 0624 | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $9,000 |
| OLUFUNMILAYO I OLOPADE | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $26,000 |
| JUAN SALGADO | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $28,000 |
| DR RUTH J SIMMONS | BOARD TRUSTEE | 4.5 | $25,500 |
| JAMES CASSELBERRY | ARC BOARD TRUSTEE | 1 | $10,000 |
| TRINITA LOGUE | ARC BOARD TRUSTEE | 1 | $10,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced several recent initiatives and grants:
Awarded $10 million to strengthen the humanities
MacArthur Awards $10 Million to Strengthen the HumanitiesSelected 22 artists, scientists, and authors for MacArthur Fellowship grants at $800,000 each
22 artists, scientists and authors selected for $800,000 MacArthur ...Awarded $1.75 million to support global reporting initiatives
PRI Receives $1.75 Million Dollar Grant from the John D. and Catherine T.Announced a $2 million new digital media and learning competition
MacArthur Announces $2 Million New Digital Media and Learning CompetitionReflected on 2025 work in Chicago, supporting community resilience and courage
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does John D and Catherine T Macarthur fund?
The foundation is committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. It supports creative people and effective institutions working toward transformative change on pressing social issues. Primary focus areas include: • Climate change and environmental conservation • Criminal justice reform • Revitalizing local news in the United States • Artificial intelligence governance and expanding who creates, uses, and benefits from AI • Strengthening the well-being of Native communities • Em…
How do I apply for a grant from John D and Catherine T Macarthur?
The foundation makes grants across multiple program areas: **Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $75,000 to $32,500,000 • Median grant size: $75,000 • Maximum grant observed: $33,000,000 **Program Types:** • Big Bets: Investing boldly across critical challenges • Enduring Commitments: Unwavering, deep, longstanding engagement • Awards: Funding the world's ingenuity (including MacArthur Fellows and 100&Change) • Field Support: Reflecting diverse creative sector voices and …
Where does John D and Catherine T Macarthur make grants?
The foundation funds primarily in Illinois, New York, and the District of Columbia, with international work in India and Nigeria.
What size grants does John D and Catherine T Macarthur award?
In 2024, John D and Catherine T Macarthur awarded 1,086 grants totaling $356.1M — an average of about $328K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is John D and Catherine T Macarthur required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, John D and Catherine T Macarthur reported a distributable amount of $428.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is John D and Catherine T Macarthur's EIN?
John D and Catherine T Macarthur's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7093598. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in John D and Catherine T Macarthur's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
SOUTHEASTERN, PA
Assets
$22.2B
Grants
24,269
Total Given
$3.0B
Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
10,334
Total Given
$202.5M
The Chicago Community Trust
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$6.0B
Grants
3,976
Total Given
$1.4B
The Blackbaud Giving Fund
CHARLESTON SC, SC
Assets
$52.7M
Grants
1,860
Total Given
$41.4M
National Philanthropic Trust
JENKINTOWN, PA
Assets
$42.2B
Grants
18,583
Total Given
$5.1B
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Assets
$9.1B
Grants
19,253
Total Given
$1.2B
Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$12.7B
Grants
7,424
Total Given
$3.0B
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
Charities Aid Foundation America
ALEXANDRIA, VA
Assets
$444.9M
Grants
10,157
Total Given
$466.3M
The Pfizer Foundation Inc
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$255.3M
Grants
9,306
Total Given
$23.2M
The Ford Foundation
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$17.5B
Grants
4,007
Total Given
$844.7M
Chubb Charitable Foundation
PHILADELPHIA, PA
Assets
$74.9M
Grants
3,719
Total Given
$6.3M
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with John D and Catherine T Macarthur on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching John D and Catherine T Macarthur to a real strategy.